Films
Using fiction as a cover, I embark on a journey of personal discovery, where the immaterial is represented in carefully crafted images bringing the personal to the public domain. What animates my productions is the idea that film can be a dynamic space capable of generating new ideas and long-lasting reflection in the audience, prompted by an emotional response to the images on screen.
In my films, I put aside the conventions of the classical three-act structure and refrain from imposing a cause-and-effect logic in order to follow, and intuit, the core theme. This approach creates a dissonant tension between audience and film, disrupting the delivery of a direct storyline and allows me to create a work driven by symbol and allegory.
Early in my career, I realized that cinema’s true nature is found in its visual rather than expository possibilities. This fundamental weight, carried by the image, transforms the nature of the spoken word by altering, distorting or elevating its value; often, it simply suppresses its presence. The dialogues, devoid of informative value, do not attempt to move the plot forward but rather expose their symbolic function.
In my intent to reveal the key significance of the film mostly on the visual level, I continually experiment with visual elements, trying to reconstruct a reality—or perhaps, a “hyper-reality”— that remains formally true to nature but that, through contrast and juxtaposition evoke an aura of intimacy and secrecy that allows for a moment of personal exploration and self-awareness.
WRITER'S BLOCK
Writer and Director: Alex Méndez Giner
Cast: Sandy Siquier
Production Manager: Donato Rossi
Cinematography: Alex Méndez Giner
Music and Sound Design: Breaking Waves
Editing: José Luis Abrego
A writer in the middle of her creative process, receives a series of anonymous packages with morbidly disturbing content.
Writer's Block unfolds at the intersection of the natural and supernatural. The mysterious packages contain isolated body parts that are at once incongruous and recognizable. In exploring the relationship between fear and creativity, Writer's Block resonates with themes embedded in Gothic literature: the fear of the shadow, the evil double and the psychically split personality. An artist's attempt to re-create a facsimile of life is doomed: in the end, she must surrender to her creation in an ironic “ultra-narcissistic” suicide.
In Writer's Block, word by word, part by part, the writer’s fears and desires conspire to commit the perfect crime: tormenting the artist with her own reflection.
Festivals
- Best Fiction Short Film Winner. Author's International Film Festival FICAUTOR. Mexico 2018
- Snowtown Film Festival. USA 2019
- 18th Kansas International Film Festival. USA 2018
- New York State International Film Festival. USA 2018
- 12th Buffalo International Film Festival. USA 2018
- 10th Charlotte Film Festival. USA 2018
- 17th Concorto Film Festival. Deep Night Program. Italy 2018
- 4th Official Latino Film Festival. New York Selection. USA 2018
- Twin Tiers Intl. Film Festival. Special Presentation.USA 2018
- 15th Atlanta Underground Film Festival. USA 2018
- 10th Hamilton International Film Festival. USA 2018
- 14th Cyprus International Film Festival "Golden Aphrodite" Paphos. Cyprus 2018
- 15th Indianapolis Film Festival. Indy Film Fest. USA 2018
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27th Arizona International Film Festival. USA 2018
- 14th Talca International Film Festival. Chile 2018 Horror & Science Fiction Film Program.
- 19th D.C. Independent Film Festival. USA 2018
- Irvine International Short Film Festival. USA 2018
- Blackbird Film Festival. USA 2018
Other Events and Exhibitions:
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16th Syracuse International Film Festival. USA 2019
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Kinematifest 2019 Keynote Speaker. Webster University, School of Communications, Electronic and Photographic Media Department. St. Louis, MO. Organized by Aaron AuBuchon, Department Chair and June Kyu Park Assistant Professor. USA 2019
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Reggio Film Festival Special Screening Session. Italy 2018
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University of Los Andes (Colombia). College of Arts and Humanities. Artist Talk and Screening. Bogotá 2018
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Pontifical Xaverian University (Colombia). College of Art. Master of Audiovisual Creation. Artist Talk and Screening. Bogotá 2018
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Short Film Corner Festival de Cannes. France 2018
THE BOOK OF JUDITH
Writer and Director: Alex Méndez Giner
Cast: Sandy Siquier, James A. Lee, Katya Martín, Kathleen Baum
Production Manager: Kara Herold
Cinematography: Alex Méndez Giner
Music and Sound Design: Breaking Waves
Editing: Alex Méndez Giner
The Book of Judith continues a long tradition of more than 110 paintings and sculptures of “Judith Beheading Holofernes.” My objective was to create an experimental narrative that penetrates the complex psychology of Judith’s character and sheds light on her personality. The Book of Judith has the distinctive appeal of a “21st-century Judith,” drawing out contemporary obsessions rooted in an archetypal legend.
Festivals
- Grand Prize Winner. Snowtown Film Festival. USA 2018
- Blackbird Film Festival. USA 2018
- Author's International Film Festival FICAUTOR. Mexico 2017
- Music+Sound Awards 2017. United Kingdom 2017 Finalist Best Sound Design - Short Film Category
- 12th Buffalo Niagara Film Festival. USA 2017
- 19th Eskisehir International Film Festival. Turkey 2017 Short Films From the World Festivals Program
- Alternative Film Festival. Canada 2017 Best Cinematography Nominee
- SHORT to the Point Film Festival. January. Romania 2017
- 5th International Video Poetry Festival. Greece 2016
- 10th Buffalo International Film Festival. USA 2016
- 4th Venezuelan Film Festival in New York. USA 2016
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9th Charlotte Film Festival. USA 2016
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22nd San Giò Verona Video Festival. Italy 2016
Best Cinematography Nominee
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16th Milan International Film Festival. Italy 2016
Best Short Film, International Category Nominee .
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37th Durban International Film Festival. South Africa 2016
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Spring Fest ’16 Syracuse International Film Festival. USA 2016
Other Events and Exhibitions:
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Rochester Institute of Technology. School of Film and Animation. Artist Talk and Screening. Rochester 2019
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University of Los Andes (Colombia). College of Arts and Humanities. Artist Talk and Screening. Bogotá 2018
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Pontifical Xaverian University (Colombia). College of Art. Master of Audiovisual Creation. Artist Talk and Screening. Bogotá 2018
- University of the Witwatersrand. The Wits School of Arts. Johannesburg, South Africa. Artist Talk and Screening. 2017
- Museum Santa Maria Della Scala in collaboration with the Siena Art Institute. Siena, Italy. Artist talk and Screening. 2017
- State University of New York. Department of Cinema & Screen Studies and Creative Writing. Artist talk and Screening. 2017
- Centro Cultural Chacao / Escuela Nacional de Cine de Venezuela. Caracas, Venezuela. Screening Session "Universo en Cortos." 2016
- Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, Caracas, Venezuela. Artist Talk and Screening. 2016
- Le Moyne College, Syracuse NY. Screening and Artist Talk. 2016
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National University of Laos, Vientiane. Artist Talk and Screening. 2016
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University of Southern California. School of Cinematic Arts Events. Outside the Box [Office] USA 2016
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Short Film Corner Festival de Cannes. France 2016
IT RAINS (LLUEVE)
Writer and Director: Alex Méndez Giner
Cast: Sandy Siquier, José A. Rojas, Vito Lonardo, Antonio Delli
Executive Producers: Luisa Flores, Beatriz Ravell
Production Director: Alfredo León
Cinematography: Raoul Held
Music and Sound: Roberto Tarzieris
Editing: Gabriel Castro/Alex Mendez Giner
The film introduces three characters, two men and a woman, who share a fragile emotional equilibrium in the isolated house where they live. When a wounded man arrives looking for shelter from the merciless rain, the emotional triangle is thrown off-balance, creating an unbearable tension. With no dialogue, the film substitutes voices with the sounds of rain, at times a faint shower and at others, a tempest.
Festivals
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27th Uruguay International Film Festival. Uruguay 2009
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4th Sydney Latinamerican Film Festival. Australia 2009
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CHORTS Caracas International Short Film Festival. Venezuela 2009. Winner. Best Photography Award.
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30th Clermont-Ferrand Intl. Shortfilm Festival. France 2008
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Vancouver Latinamerican Film Festival. Canada 2008
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4th Sapporo International Film Festival. Japan 2008
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23rd Guadalajara International Film Festival. Mexico 2008
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5th Syracuse International Film Festival. USA 2008
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Marseille South American Festival. France 2008
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Expresión en Corto International Film Festival. Mexico 2008
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3rd Festival Latinuy “Latino & Uruguayo” Uruguay 2011 Program: Conexiones (Connections)
Other Events and Exhibitions:
- University of California, Santa Cruz. Department of Film and Digital Media. "This Is Not Hollywood" International Short Film Screening. 2017
- Beijing Museum of Visual Art. Exhibition "Intangible Expedition" 2017
- Venezuelan Short Film Retrospective "Universo en Cortos" Organized by the Venezuelan National Film School. 2016
- National University of Laos, Vientiane. Artist Talk and Screening, 2016
- University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg. Artist Talk and Screening. 2013
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Vale TV (Cultural TV Station) Regional TV Broadcast. Venezuela 2011. Espacio Arte (Program)
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EXPO Shangahai 2010 China. Venezuelan Pavilion.
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30th New Latin American Film Festival. Cuba 2008 Exhibition Program Short Film Hour.
CENTRIPETAL
Director: Alex Méndez Giner
Cast: Sandy Siquier, Jesús Sosa, Rafael Marrero
Executive Producer: Juan Bernardo González
Production Director: Fadia Bardawil
General Producer: Anixe Bilbao
Cinematography: Raoul Held
Music and Sound: Javier Blanco
Editing: Leonardo Zuloaga/Alex Mendez Giner
Centripetal posits the idea of a self-contained universe, a micro-cosmos. Characters with competing needs and desires are forced to co-exist, something that —as the title suggests— prevents them from ever moving forward. Centripetal premiered at the Shanghai International Film Festival, one of the few festivals accredited by the FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations) and won the Audience Choice award in its category.
Festivals
- Tolfa Short Film Festival. Italy 2013
- 7th Buffalo Niagara Film Festival. USA 2013
Winner. Best Story, Short Category.
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1st Annapolis Film Festival. USA 2013
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8th Detmold Intl. Short Film Festival Germany 2012
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ELCO 2012 (Fest. de Cine Entre Cortos y Largos de Oriente) Venezuela 2012
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28th Chicago Latino Film Festival. USA 2012
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8th Rengo International Film Festival. Chile 2012
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Festival Zona Urbana. Venezuela 2011
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14th Shanghai International Film Festival. China 2011
Winner. Audience’s Choice Award.
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19th Chile Intl. Shortfilm Fest. of Santiago. Chile 2011
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16th Ourense International Film Festival. Spain 2011
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8th Syracuse International Film Festival. USA 2011
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23rd Viña del Mar International Film Festival. Chile 2011
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8th Cusco International Film Festival. Peru 2011
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10th Miami International Shortfilm Festival. USA 2011
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4th Margarita Latinamerican Film Fest.Venezuela 2011
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3rd CHORTS Caracas Intl. Shortfilm Fest.Venezuela 2011
Other Events and Exhibitions:
- 35th Interfilm Berlin International Short Film Festival 2019. Program Focus On: Insight Venezuela
- Venezuelan Short Film Retrospective at Asociación Cultural Peruano Británica (Britanico). Peru 2019
- Miami Short Film Festival. Venezuelan Short Film Retrospective "Focus on Venezuela" USA 2016
- University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg. Artist Talk and Screening. 2013
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Mobile World Congress. Spain 2012
Shanghai Short Film Winners Program
GLUE
Writer and Director: Alex Méndez Giner
Cast: Sandy Siquier, Ryan Hope Travis
Producer: Alex Mendez Giner
Cinematography: Alex Méndez Giner/Xiaochuan Xu
Editing: Alex Méndez Giner
Music and Sound Design: Javier Weyler
A bizarre misunderstanding arises when a beautiful woman happens to meet a handsome man in a library hall. Both man and woman enchanted by each other’s presence give in to a seemingly innocent flirtation. The pleasant moment quickly changes into a wacky situation when the couple misread each other signals.
Festivals
- 4th Snowtown Film Festival. USA 2018
- Official Latino Film Festival 2017. USA 2017
- Hispanic International Film Festival of New Jersey. USA 2017
- 300 Seconds Film Festival. Canada 2017
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3rd New Haven International Film Festival. USA 2017
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3rd Good Things/Small Packages. USA 2017
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12th Short Shorts Film Festival at Duluth. USA 2017
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Alternative Film Festival. Canada 2017 Best Cast Nominee Best Director Nominee
